Cody Knutson
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Hi, I’m Cody Knutson, a water resources scientist for the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) and research assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources.
My interests include both the physical and human aspects of water management, with a specialty in drought risk analysis. That is, I primarily help people understand how they are vulnerable to drought and develop tools and strategies to reduce their risk. My goal is to help people better prepare for and respond to drought through research, education, and collaboration.
As an example of current research, I’m working on a project to investigate how sustainable farmers and ranchers in Nebraska have been affected by recent years of drought. A mail survey and face-to-face interviews will be used to find out how their farming and ranching strategies performed during these adverse conditions. Their lessons learned can provide valuable insight for other farmers and ranchers across the country.
On a more national level, I’m also working with the National Weather Service to enhance their web-based river monitoring system (known as the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service). Currently, their system provides river flow forecasts across the United States and describes likely impacts that will result when flooding occurs. To expand the system, I’ve completed a pilot study to identify the potential impacts of low river flows in Minnesota and am now expanding the research to the North Platte River.
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Although research is essential, it is most useful when findings are shared. Therefore, I also give many presentations throughout the year, help organize and present educational workshops, and write materials for our website. For example, the NDMC is currently working with the USDA Risk Management Agency to plan a series of workshops across the country to train agricultural producers and government workers to use web-based drought monitoring tools. This combination of applied research and outreach is essential for reducing the damaging effects of drought in the United States and around the world.
I’ve worked intermittently as a staff member at the NDMC since 1997 and was promoted to a faculty position in December 2004. I received a bachelor’s and master’s in geological engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines of Technology, specializing in water resources. At UNL, I also received a master’s in cultural anthropology and a doctorate in human geography. I believe the combination of physical and social science perspectives provides a necessary base for understanding the interactions between people and the water resources upon which they depend.
Key Publications
- Hayes, M.J., Wilhelmi, O.V., Knutson, C.L., 2004. Reducing Drought Risk: Bridging Theory and Practice,
- Wilhite, D.A., M.J. Hayes, C. Knutson, and K.H. Smith 2000. Planning for drought: Moving from crisis to risk management. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. 36:697-710 (Journal Series Number:12766)
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| Potential Advising for Graduate Program |
Master of Science with a Specialization in
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| SNR Faculties | Human Dimensions, Geography/GIScience, Water |
| Areas of Interest | Drought Risk, Water Management, Human Dimensions of natural resources, Drought, Water Policy, Anthropology (applied, cultural, environmental) |
| Notable Website | http://drought.unl.edu |
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